Sponge mop and compressing apparatus therefor



Oct. 6, 1959 R. B. ARNOLD 2,907,062

sPoNGE M01D AND COMPREssING APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Nov. 5, 195e A TTOR/VE YS.

Stafs Ptsrlf.

sPoNGE Morv AND coMPREsslNG APPARATUS Trmnnron Rice B. Arnold,Parkville,` Mo.

Application November 1511956,I Serial No.

This invention relates'to mops, 'and more particularly to spongefmops of the type adapted for manualuse in cleaning and waxing floors, cleaning ceilngs,'lwalls and -the like.y

The principal object of the presentlinvention is to provide a mop of spongerubber or plastic material consistingcf very small p ores for the retention of the maximum amountv ofv water'and to have the maximum amount of resiliency, .and means for exudingjwater and soap therefrom by a pair -of elements carried bythe lframe of the mop' whereby the water and rsoap maybe removed from the sponge .without involving Vcontact of the hands with the soapy water.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide -a cellular, resilient, hygroscopic'sponge cleaning ele- -ment for the wiping-memberof the; mop having twosections secured together bya plate withadhesive rand the plateghaving bearing elements or shafts for a wire. frame for the handle; to provide a hinged, bearing member on one leg ofthe frame for engagingthe shaft` on the plate without bendingthe wire frame; to vvprovidefor fastening-the handle to the .bars of the-wire frame; to

Vprovide spring tension means on the- Wire frame and plate so that when the sponge element is raised from the surface it will automatically align with the frame of the handle;` toprovideI clamping elements hingedly connected to the Wire frame and spring urged to lie 1 'on either side of thehandle and adapted to be rotated on the wire frame to squeeze the cellular sponge element therebetween to -exude the water and soap therefrom and upon release of the' handle of the clamping -elementsthey willbe returned to position alongside the handle; v.to provide `hook meansfor holding the clampingelements to the handle; and to providea deviceof this character simple and-economical to manufacture. t -In'accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, l have provided improved details of structure the preferred forms of vwhich are illustrated in the accomlpanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. lis aperspective, partly fragmentary view illustrating 'the mop and handle therefor embodying the fea- -tures of my invention.

Fig. 2 -is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken on a line 2 2, Fig. 1.

IFig. 6 isf an enlarged fragementa'ry View ofthe handle ends ofthe cl'amping'members and l the hooksA onv the handle for securing the same to thehandle during mopping operation.

Referring more in detail to thedra'wings:

" 1 designates a mop-A embodying the features of my` ffice,

invention comprising a'cellular sponge -e'lerner'it 'Zfhaving two sections 3 and 4.l A plate 5 vof metalplstic or the like,'is secured between the two sectionsV of `cellular material by adhesive or the like as indicated at 6. Each side edge ofthe plate members is provided with shaftsy or bearing members 7 and 8 for'receivin'g the lower ends 9 and 10 ofthe legs 11 and 1`2`of a wire frame 13. Ther` frame comprises a pair"'of*spaced bars 14 and 15 connecting thejlegs. 1`1and 12 'as"at"16. The leg members 11 and. 12'and bars '141 and' 1 5 form'the substantially rectangular shaped frame "13 which gwill clearv the mop elementv Iso thatfthet said'jeler'net Iwill rotate within the fram e j'5 1"1` 'spring l17 vis securedto the leg member 12 andhas one'end secured in asilitable manner to the side edg'eQofthe ,plate'fS :as illustrated at 18 (Fig.v 1) for 'exerting tension onthecellularv'sponge element so that when the" element is raised'fromfthe ilo'or surface or other surface thespring will 'cause-the sponge to move into axial "alignment with the legs 11 a11d12- 1 The end 10 of the leg12 comprises'an eye 19 (lig. 5) ladapted to engageover thejshaft 8 "to provide" a rotatable mountingfor one side of the spongeelement 2 adjoining the legl 12. 'A' wa she r"2 0 isp'rovidd b'etween the eye 1 9 anjd plate 5 Afor awsnoothjrot'ation of s'aidsponge element v2. The lower endL 9 o f the leg 11 Aan easy inserting of the' shaft orjbearingmember 7.

The open end 22 of the fork portion 21 is vclosedjby`-a hinge member 23 which has one side pivotally connected to one side of .the fork portion'Z/l as'indiated'at 24 in YFig. 4. Weldedor otherwise suitably securedto vthe other side of the fork portion or slightly above thereof is a keeper -25 adapted to receive the upper end'of the .hinge member23drthus forming an eyesir'nilar'to the eye tweenwasher 26 and shoulder` 27 and thehing'e Amember is locked within the keep er. 2 5.

Hingedly connected tothe bars 14a`nd'1'5fas at 28 and 29 are clamping elements 130,' and 31 Iwhich,n ayfgbe madey of metal, plastic orfthelike which. aire rotatable on the bars 14.and 15, forysque'ezing the cellular sponge element .between the outer surfaces4 Ithereof -as later shown.

32 designates a handle forioplerating the moplfa'nd includes ya metal memberor ferrule 33 at its lower end which is rigidly secured toand between thebars 14 v 'and'15.at substantially 'the-center thereof by .welding or other suitablemeans as indicated at 34. (Fig. 1.)`.

The clamping elements are adapted ,to lie.alongside the handle `32 andwhen notlinuse areheldthereto by hook members 35 and 36 secured to the handle-32 and said hook. members .extend through vopenings 37 and-38 in the handles 39 and` 40Vextending Aoutwardly and 'down- Wardly in overlying relation vto the vouter surfae'es'of the clamping elements 30 and 31. Y. Spring members 41 and 42 fare'. provided .for engagement o f the bars 14 and vandftlzle-outer surfacesfof .the plate portions Y4?) and-.44 ofv the ,clampingfelements 30 and 31 to exert tension ontheclarnping elementsto tend to :urge themtowardthmhandle `member32 ywhen r' not .in use. lEach springistsleeved` on one' bar avvitli'aV y portion thereof sleeved onthe tother'ban-and has the tive'clamping elements.

respective ends engaging theouter surfaces of the respec- In operation of the device the"fra'1ne':13'iis easily iat- 

